Atherosclerosis in the human brachial artery

Department of Cardiology, Skejby Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to assess the prevalence of atherosclerotic lesions in the human brachial artery. BACKGROUND: Many investigators have recently studied endothelial and vascular function in the brachial circulation in humans to further their understanding of coronary artery disease and early atherogenesis. However, the prevalence of brachial atherosclerosis and its relation to coronary disease have never been documented. METHODS: Arterial segments from the brachial, common carotid and left anterior descending coronary arteries were obtained during autopsy in 52 consecutively examined subjects (35 men, 17 women; 21 to 79 years old, mean [+/-SD] age 51 +/- 16) and studied by light microscopy using standard histologic techniques. Severity of the atherosclerotic lesions was categorized as fatty streaks (grade 1), fibrous plaques (grade 2) and advanced lesions (grade 3). RESULTS: Atherosclerotic lesions of any grade were found in the brachial artery in 39 (75%) subjects, common carotid artery in 51 (98%) and left anterior descending coronary artery in 52 (100%), and the prevalence and severity of disease increased with age in all three arteries. The grade of lesion severity in the brachial and coronary arteries was significantly correlated (r = 0.41, p = 0.003), as was severity in the brachial and carotid arteries (r = 0.53, p = 0.0001) and the carotid and coronary arteries (r = 0.69, p = 0.0001). The correlation between the brachial artery and the left anterior descending coronary artery was highly significant in subjects < or = 50 years old (r = 0.54, p = 0.002), but not in those > or = 50 years old (r = 0.37, p = NS). CONCLUSIONS: Atherosclerosis is common in the human brachial artery and is significantly correlated with both coronary and carotid disease. These results suggest that the brachial circulation may serve as a reasonable "surrogate" for studying atherosclerosis, particularly in younger adults.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. H. J. Thijssen, N. Rowley, J. Padilla, G. H. Simmons, M. H. Laughlin, G. Whyte, N. T. Cable, and D. J. Green Relationship between upper and lower limb conduit artery vasodilator function in humans J Appl Physiol, July 1, 2011; 111(1): 244 - 250. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Dachun Xu, Jue Li, Liling Zou, Yawei Xu, Dayi Hu, S. L. Pagoto, and Yunsheng Ma Sensitivity and specificity of the ankle--brachial index to diagnose peripheral artery disease: a structured review Vascular Medicine, October 1, 2010; 15(5): 361 - 369. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Barton, M. R. Meyer, and E. Haas Hormone Replacement Therapy and Atherosclerosis in Postmenopausal Women: Does Aging Limit Therapeutic Benefits? Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, August 1, 2007; 27(8): 1669 - 1672. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Frick, A. Suessenbacher, H. F. Alber, W. Dichtl, H. Ulmer, O. Pachinger, and F. Weidinger Prognostic Value of Brachial Artery Endothelial Function and Wall Thickness J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., September 20, 2005; 46(6): 1006 - 1010. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. J. Abularrage, A. N. Sidawy, G. Aidinian, N. Singh, J. M. Weiswasser, and S. Arora Evaluation of Macrocirculatory Endothelium-Dependent and Endothelium-Independent Vasoreactivity in Vascular Disease Perspectives in Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, September 1, 2005; 17(3): 245 - 253. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Frick, H. F Alber, A. Rinner, A. Suessenbacher, H. Ulmer, S. P Schwarzacher, O. Pachinger, and F. Weidinger Relationship of sonographic wall components of the brachial artery to hypertension and coronary atherosclerosis Vascular Medicine, August 1, 2005; 10(3): 185 - 190. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. B. Olsen, M. Sacchetti, F. Dela, T. Ploug, and B. Saltin Glucose clearance is higher in arm than leg muscle in type 2 diabetes J. Physiol., June 1, 2005; 565(2): 555 - 562. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. F. Mitchell, H. Parise, J. A. Vita, M. G. Larson, E. Warner, J. F. Keaney Jr, M. J. Keyes, D. Levy, R. S. Vasan, and E. J. Benjamin Local Shear Stress and Brachial Artery Flow-Mediated Dilation: The Framingham Heart Study Hypertension, August 1, 2004; 44(2): 134 - 139. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. N. Cohn, A. A. Quyyumi, N. K. Hollenberg, and K. A. Jamerson Surrogate Markers for Cardiovascular Disease: Functional Markers Circulation, June 29, 2004; 109(25_suppl_1): IV-31 - IV-46. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. J. Jarvisalo, T. Lehtimaki, and O. T. Raitakari Determinants of Arterial Nitrate-Mediated Dilatation in Children: Role of Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein, Endothelial Function, and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Circulation, June 15, 2004; 109(23): 2885 - 2889. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. S Dieter, J. Tomasson, T. Gudjonsson, R. L Brown, M. Vitcenda, J. Einerson, and P. E McBride Lower extremity peripheral arterial disease in hospitalized patients with coronary artery disease Vascular Medicine, November 1, 2003; 8(4): 233 - 236. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P. Y. Liu, A. K. Death, and D. J. Handelsman Androgens and Cardiovascular Disease Endocr. Rev., June 1, 2003; 24(3): 313 - 340. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Fiorina, F. Folli, F. Bertuzzi, P. Maffi, G. Finzi, M. Venturini, C. Socci, A. Davalli, E. Orsenigo, L. Monti, et al. Long-Term Beneficial Effect of Islet Transplantation on Diabetic Macro-/Microangiopathy in Type 1 Diabetic Kidney-Transplanted Patients Diabetes Care, April 1, 2003; 26(4): 1129 - 1136. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Bergholm, M. Leirisalo-Repo, S. Vehkavaara, S. Makimattila, M.-R. Taskinen, and H. Yki-Jarvinen Impaired Responsiveness to NO in Newly Diagnosed Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, October 1, 2002; 22(10): 1637 - 1641. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. A. Vita and J. F. Keaney Jr Endothelial Function: A Barometer for Cardiovascular Risk? Circulation, August 6, 2002; 106(6): 640 - 642. [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Bohm, G. Ahlborg, B.-L. Johansson, L.-O. Hansson, and J. Pernow Combined Endothelin Receptor Blockade Evokes Enhanced Vasodilatation in Patients With Atherosclerosis Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, April 1, 2002; 22(4): 674 - 679. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Fiorina, E. La Rocca, M. Venturini, F. Minicucci, I. Fermo, R. Paroni, A. D'Angelo, M. Sblendido, V. Di Carlo, M. Cristallo, et al. Effects of Kidney-Pancreas Transplantation on Atherosclerotic Risk Factors and Endothelial Function in Patients With Uremia and Type 1 Diabetes Diabetes, March 1, 2001; 50(3): 496 - 501. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. Bottcher, M. M. Madsen, J. Refsgaard, N. H. Buus, I. Dorup, T. T. Nielsen, and K. Sorensen Peripheral Flow Response to Transient Arterial Forearm Occlusion Does Not Reflect Myocardial Perfusion Reserve Circulation, February 27, 2001; 103(8): 1109 - 1114. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Vakkilainen, S. Makimattila, A. Seppala-Lindroos, S. Vehkavaara, S. Lahdenpera, P.-H. Groop, M.-R. Taskinen, and H. Yki-Jarvinen Endothelial Dysfunction in Men With Small LDL Particles Circulation, August 15, 2000; 102(7): 716 - 721. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. M. Balletshofer, K. Rittig, M. D. Enderle, A. Volk, E. Maerker, S. Jacob, S. Matthaei, K. Rett, and H. U. Haring Endothelial Dysfunction Is Detectable in Young Normotensive First-Degree Relatives of Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes in Association With Insulin Resistance Circulation, April 18, 2000; 101(15): 1780 - 1784. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Ueda, H. Matsuoka, H. Miyazaki, M. Usui, S. Okuda, and T. Imaizumi Tetrahydrobiopterin restores endothelial function in long-term smokers J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., January 1, 2000; 35(1): 71 - 75. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Khan, S. J Litchfield, P. A Stonebridge, and J. J. Belch Lipid-lowering and skin vascular responses in patients with hypercholesterolaemia and peripheral arterial obstructive disease Vascular Medicine, November 1, 1999; 4(4): 233 - 238. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Hashimoto, M. Eto, M. Akishita, K. Kozaki, J. Ako, K. Iijima, S. Kim, K. Toba, M. Yoshizumi, and Y. Ouchi Correlation Between Flow-Mediated Vasodilatation of the Brachial Artery and Intima-Media Thickness in the Carotid Artery in Men Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, November 1, 1999; 19(11): 2795 - 2800. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. M. Kanani, C. A. Sinkey, R. L. Browning, M. Allaman, H. R. Knapp, and W. G. Haynes Role of Oxidant Stress in Endothelial Dysfunction Produced by Experimental Hyperhomocyst(e)inemia in Humans Circulation, September 14, 1999; 100(11): 1161 - 1168. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. R. Adams, J. Robinson, R. McCredie, J. P. Seale, K. E. Sorensen, J. E. Deanfield, and D. S. Celermajer Smooth muscle dysfunction occurs independently of impaired endothelium-dependent dilation in adults at risk of atherosclerosis J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., July 1, 1998; 32(1): 123 - 127. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. E. Sorensen, I. Dorup, A. P. Hermann, and L. Mosekilde Combined Hormone Replacement Therapy Does Not Protect Women Against the Age-Related Decline in Endothelium-Dependent Vasomotor Function Circulation, April 7, 1998; 97(13): 1234 - 1238. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Bohm, G. Ahlborg, B.-L. Johansson, L.-O. Hansson, and J. Pernow Combined Endothelin Receptor Blockade Evokes Enhanced Vasodilatation in Patients With Atherosclerosis Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, April 1, 2002; 22(4): 674 - 679. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]